Security sources said that the Algerian army killed 10 gunmen suspected of belonging to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, during a special operation near Tizi Ouzou in the Kabylie region, east of Algiers. Al Watannewspaper said in its Sunday's edition that the operation was launched at dawn on Saturday after the Algerian security authorities got information about the existence of an armed group in the region.

Three suspected al Qaeda members were killed on Thursday by the Algerian army near Tadmait in Tizi-Ouzou, about 100 km east of Algiers.